KWLS- Final

January 19, 2009

Anchee Min

Valerie Martin, Calvin Baker & Miles Frieden

KWLS- Final

Kathy at Custom's House

Elizabeth Gaffney & John Burnham Schwartz

The second session wrapped up on Sunday afternoon with the traditional free and open to the public reading and panel discussions. There was a pathetic lack of coverage in the local media and thus there was plenty of space for the people that did show up. Since there was plenty of space, Kathy & I joined our friend Jaynie Royal in sticking around to the last word was spoken.

David Nasaw

Andrea Barrett, Samantha Hunt & Alan Cheuse

Lauryann Jiang & Anchee Min

It was a terrific weekend, with a few soaring hi-lights led by the charming, funny and entertaining presentation Saturday evening by the delightful Anchee Min and her talented 17 year old daughter, Lauryann Jiang. They performed sections from Min’s, “Empress Orchid” and earned the lone standing ovation of either session.
Other highlights included a wonderful panel discussion between Joyce Carol Oates, William Kennedy and Russell Banks that achieved the rare feel of a front porch discussion among friends rather than some panel in a public forum and incredible readings from Samantha Hunt (“The Invention of Everything Else”) and Andrea Barrett (“Ship Fever”).

Lauryann Jiang

Kennedy, Banks & Oates

Joyce Carol Oates

Jaynie, Kathy & Seward Johnson

Of course there were even more parties. The repeats from session 1 which included dinner at the Lighthouse, the reception at the Audubon House and the Martini opening at the Customs House and there were a couple of wonderful behind the scenes parties as well. The most extravagant was at the home of the artist Seward Johnson who lives just next to the buoy that marks the Southernmost Point marker.





The Southernmost “Southernmost House” as Johnson describes it is an amazing home and property right on the point of the island where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Atlantic Ocean. The party included all of the local glitterati and all of the writers in town for the seminar. I felt slightly like Thenardier but Kathy & I really enjoyed the party and the incredible home and wonderful generosity of Mr. Johnson. He is a most jovial sort and made us each feel welcome.

Elizabeth Gaffney's baby draws a crowd.



Jenny & Ashley

The final party was much more typical for us, it was the wrap party for the staff, volunteers and friends of the seminar at the Love Lane compound of the seminar. Hosted by Arlo Haskell, the party offered an opportunity to unwind for those who worked so hard to put the seminar on and a chance for Mark Hedden to drink Gore Vidal’s leftover scotch.

Michael, Bob Muens & Kathy

Nancy, Mark & Gore Vidal's scotch.